1. IF I FIND SOMETHING WITH WHICH I CANNOT AGREE, I AM WRONG.

Subjection to God’s will is not the destruction of man’s volun­tariness, but if it were, he would be obligated to come under it. For God’s supremacy is of more consequence than any attribute of a creature.W. G. T. Shed

2. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH I CANNOT UNDERSTAND, I AM WRONG TO JUDGE IT ON THAT ACCOUNT.

You have a very small brain and you have a very poor spirit within you; do not be surprised that you cannot understand.D. M. Lloyd-Jones

3. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH WOULD CONTRADICT THE CLEAR TEACHING OF SCRIPTURE ELSEWHERE, I CANNOT BE RIGHT.

When there is an appearance of repugnancy or contradiction in any places of Scripture ... the truth is to be learned, stated, and fixed from ... those places wherein it is the design and purpose of the holy penman to declare it for its own sake, and to guide the faith of the church therein. (rather than dealing with some other matter)John Owen

4. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH WOULD SLANDER THE REVEALED CHARACTER OF GOD, I AM CERTAINLY WRONG.

CAUTION: That which is ‘unworthy of God’ is not decided by man.

5. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH BRINGS UP AN APPARENT CONTRADICTION, I AM WRONG NOT TO FACE IT SQUARELY.

In religion, what damned error but some sober brow will bless it and approve it with a text, hiding the grossness with fair ornament?Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

6. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH LEADS TO A SUMMARY PRINCIPLE, I AM WRONG IF I DO NOT FOLLOW IT TO ITS CON­CLUSION.

7. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH DISTURBS MY SETTLED CON­VICTIONS, I AM WRONG TO DISMISS IT ON THAT ACCOUNT.

Beware of a straitjacket confessionalism which stifles fresh thought.

The Bible has been imprisoned in the cells of alien dogma; it has been bound hand and foot in the graveclothes of human tradition; it has been entombed as in a sepulchre by the systems of theology, and the stone of human power has been rolled up close to its door.F. W. Farrar

8. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH CALLS FOR DECISIVE ACTION AND I REMAIN INERT, I AM FATALLY WRONG.

9. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH I DARE NOT FOLLOW IN ITS PRACTICAL DRIFT, I AM DESTRUCTIVELY WRONG.

Beware of facts imprisoned, but not improved.

10. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH OTHERS BLUSH TO ADMIT OR STRUGGLE TO AVOID, I AM UNWISE TO FOLLOW THEM AT THAT POINT.

The delicacy of those who affect an appearance of greater prudence than the Holy Spirit in removing or resolving difficulties, is quite intolerable.John Calvin

11. IF I FIND SOMETHING UPON WHICH POPULAR RELIGION FROWNS, I MAY PRESUME I AM ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

Bed assured, there is nothing new in theology except that which is false.C. H. Spurgeon

12. IF I FIND SOMETHING WHICH WOULD TEND TO HUMBLE MAN AND GLORIFY GOD, I AM MOST PROBABLY RIGHT.

Say, Christian, wouldst thou thrive
In knowledge of thy Lord?
Against no Scripture ever strive,
But tremble at his Word.

Revere the sacred page;
To injure any part
Betrays, with blind and feeble rage,
A hard and haughty heart.

If aught there dark appear,
 Bewail thy want of sight;
 No imperfection can be there,
 For all God’s words are right.

The Scriptures and the Lord
Bear one tremendous name;
The written and the incarnate Word
In all things are the same.

The thoughts of men are lies;
The Word of God is true;
To bow to that is to be wise;Then hear, and fear, and do. Joseph Hart